


The Usual Teenagers

by Miyuki_scourgeofthefirenation



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drama Class, Established Relationship, F/F, Food, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Lunch, M/M, POV Sokka (Avatar), Pranks, Siblings, Teenagers, Theater Kids
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:20:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26067121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miyuki_scourgeofthefirenation/pseuds/Miyuki_scourgeofthefirenation
Summary: Chapter 1: What actually happens at the high school lunch table. Featuring sibling arguments, flirting, and, of course, science experiments.Chapter 2: Pulling off the perfect senior prank takes a lot of planning and help from friends in all grade levels.Chapter 3: A bunch of teenagers pranking each other in drama class is something that can actually be so personal.
Relationships: Aang & Toph Beifong & Katara & Sokka & Suki & Zuko, Azula & Mai & Ty Lee, Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 50
Kudos: 196





	1. The Lunch Incident

**Author's Note:**

> Did I write this entire thing just to flex on every creator of a stereotypical teen show to demonstrate that I understand what it is to be an actual teen better than they do?  
> I’ll never tell.
> 
> Ages!  
> Freshman (14-15)- Aang, Toph  
> Sophomore (15-16)- Katara, Azula  
> Junior (16-17)- Sokka, Suki, Ty Lee  
> Senior (17-18)- Zuko, Mai
> 
> Based on so many real life events, oh god.
> 
> HUGE IMPORTANT UPDATE, well maybe not that important but! This is now gonna be a longer fic! I realized I have several experiences that would make for fun chapters in this, so now you're getting those. At least three others! Hope you enjoy!

“So, I have several questions. The first being what the hell?” was how Sokka greeted his sister Katara when she sat down at the lunch table that day.

She gave him an exasperated look. “What are you going on about now?”

He gestured to her lunch tray. “That! What is that?”

“Those are peas,” Katara said slowly. “You know, small green vegetables? They look like this.” She held up one in demonstration.

“I know damn well what peas are Katara,” Sokka huffed. “What I don’t get is why you have a giant cereal bowl full of them on your plate!”

Katara shrugged. “I like them, so why not?”

“I think Aang is starting to rub off on you. Pretty soon you won’t even eat Gran Gran’s suaasat anymore!” Sokka lamented. Aang grinned from where he sat at the table happily munching on a carrot stick.

Katara rolled her eyes as Zuko walked up and took his seat next to Sokka. “Your boyfriend is being ridiculous again,” she said by way of greeting him.

“Yeah, well that’s to be expected,” Zuko responded nonchalantly. Sokka plastered a dopey grin on his face and threw his arms around his boyfriend, nuzzling his face into the side of his neck.

“Ugh,” Katara groaned, “gross. I’m trying to eat here!” Sokka stuck his tongue out at her, and reluctantly pulled away from Zuko. Not to benefit his sister or anything, but rather because it was difficult for him to eat lunch when he was attached to Zuko like that. He had tried valiantly, and concluded it was not to be, and the desire for food had eventually won out.

Sokka focused on eating for the next few minutes while absently listening to Toph and Suki complain about one of the English teachers in the school, who they both had for separate classes, who apparently was a major dick. Azula finally showed up to the table about five minutes after Zuko, grumbling about stupid long line for the sandwich station.

“You could have just gotten something else to eat you know,” Zuko commented drily.

“And I could have been an only child, but, alas!” Azula shot back, slinging her bag across the back of the chair next to Suki and taking a seat. Katara snorted. 

Ty Lee and Mai ambled up shortly after that holding hands. Mai always brought her lunch, she was quite the chef and preferred to make her own food, while Ty Lee had her tray precariously balanced on her free hand. 

“Thank god you guys are here!” Azula moaned, “Zuko is mocking me.”

“You and I remember the last two minutes very differently,” Zuko said, considering her with one of his hands propped under his chin.

“Azula and Zuko fighting at lunch? Shocking,” Mai drawled as she and Ty Lee sat down.

“She started it!” Zuko protested, which earned him a click of the tongue from Suki and a disapproving look from Katara. Aang shook with silent laughter. Zuko turned to appeal to Sokka, “She starts it every time!” he bleated.

“I know, sweetie, I know,” Sokka said soothingly, rubbing small circles on Zuko’s back.

“Once again, blegh!” Katara grimaced at them.

“Hey! How come you always lay into us for PDA, but never them?” Sokka gestured to where Mai had her arm around Ty Lee’s shoulders, while the peppy girl fed her girlfriend bites of rice.

“That’s because I have full faith in Mai’s ability to stab me without even blinking. You, not so much,” Katara said with a shake of her head.

“Rude!” Sokka huffed.

“Hmmm, but true,” Toph responded. Sokka turned away and made eye contact with Mai, who raised her eyebrows as if daring him to contradict that. He found he could not, and more importantly, he did not want to run the risk associated with doing so.

“Aang, what is that?” Suki asked suddenly, pointing to a bag of small assorted color objects Aang had just pulled out and placed on the table.

“Oh, Gyatso got this big bag of dehydrated fruits the last time he was at the market. This includes strawberries, apricots, grapes, and,” Aang paused and frowned, holding up a brownish looking fruit, “I don’t honestly know what this one is.” He shrugged and popped it into his mouth anyway.

“Did that help narrow it down at all?” Ty Lee asked.

“Nope!” Aang said happily, “But it’s fruity!”

“Aren’t dehydrated grapes just raisins?” Zuko glanced at Katara for confirmation.

“You’re missing the point babe,” Sokka remarked, “what sounds cooler, raisin or dehydrated grape? One is boring and the worst part of the trail mix, the other is edgy and mysterious.” Zuko just stared at him while Katara sighed and hung her head. “You guys know I’m right, you’re just haters,” Sokka scoffed.

“So, wait,” Ty Lee cut in before either Zuko or Katara, or anyone else at the table for that matter, could say anything in response to that. “Do you think it’s possible to rehydrate fruit that’s been dehydrated?”

Sokka looked at her and snapped his fingers, “I like the way you think. Someone give me their water bottle.”

Zuko handed his over despite the incredulous look from Katara. “What? I wanna see what happens.”

“Actually, you’re right I wanna find out what happens too,” Katara agreed.

Sokka took the water bottle and carefully positioned it in front of himself, pushing his now empty lunch tray out of the way. After a moment of consideration he carefully opened the bottle and poured some water into the lid. That way he wouldn’t have to fish the, hopefully successfully rehydrated fruit, out after the experiment was done. 

“Aang,” he said dramatically, “fruit me.” Aang obliged, handing over a slice of dried strawberry. With great solemnity Sokka slowly lowered the strawberry into the shallow water.

Everyone stared intently at it, waiting for something to happen. Katara leaned over the table and gave it a couple prods with her plastic fork. “Okay, what’s happening? Everyone got quiet,” Toph finally broke the silence.

Azula snickered, “Nothing’s happening, the dehydrated fruit has not been rehydrated, it’s just now dehydrated and soggy.”

“Oh,” Toph said, “well that’s disappointing.”

“But it still made for a good experiment!” Sokka asserted, then beginning to launch into a long winded explanation of the scientific method.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever Snoozles,” Toph interrupted. “Hey Aang, I dare you to eat the soggy strawberry!”

“Ugh,” Mai made a face.

“Do it, do it, do it!” Suki started chanting and was joined by Toph, Azula, Sokka, and Ty Lee.

“Oh, Aang, don’t-” Zuko began, but it was too late.

Aang had already eaten the strawberry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being a teenager (at least in my experience) is less about sex and far more about doing weird shit with your friends like seeing if it’s possible to rehydrate dried strawberries. As this fic explained, being based on a real event and all, it is not. At least not within the context of a handful of teenagers and a water bottle.
> 
> If you think I should be the one writing for teen shows instead of those other clowns leave some kudos and comments here. Or do that if you just liked the story. That’s probably a better idea.


	2. The Bouncy Ball Incident

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made this a longer fic because I have Ideas (TM).
> 
> Once again, everything in this is at least partially based on true events.
> 
> The prank in this did really happen, I was not part of it though, merely a witness. Also, nobody was harmed during it just in case anybody gets concerned. It was perfectly safe. Just required a fair bit of cleanup.

“So I have the best idea,” Sokka abruptly flopped down on the couch next to Zuko, startling the older boy in the middle of doing his creative writing homework.

“Is it about how I can make this story make any goddamn sense by any chance?” Zuko asked, peering over at him.

“No, you’re on your own for that one, there’s a reason for my barely B average in English classes,” Sokka responded. “This is way more fun anyway! It’s about what your class’ senior prank should be!”

At this Mai, who was also a senior, looked up from where she sat in an armchair across from the couch. Sokka, Zuko, and Ty Lee were at her house to do homework this afternoon. Ty Lee was sprawled out across the floor in the middle of the room. She had started to do her chemistry homework when they got to the house after school, but had quickly declared that “The vibes were all wrong for it,” and stopped. Sokka had offered to help her, but she kept going on about the vibes. He hadn’t really wanted to push any further. Besides he had his own calculus homework to do.

Not that he had gotten any of that done. Rather, he had quickly become distracted by building his plan for a great prank.

“I’m probably gonna regret this, but what is this idea of yours?” Mai drawled, raising an eyebrow.

Sokka eagerly opened his mouth and started to explain. And if he also had taken the time to create a detailed breakdown list and illustrations, well, that was just a testament to his great planning skills.

* * *

“Are you sure this is gonna work?” Zuko glanced over at Sokka.

Sokka stared back, offended at his boyfriend’s lack of trust. “Babe please, have you ever even met me? Of course this is gonna work!”

“So we have a 40% chance of this failing,” Mai offered from her position leaning on the wall behind where Sokka and Zuko stood surveying the bustling entryway and cafeteria space.

“Thanks for that Mai. Really love the faith you’re putting in me there,” Sokka grumbled, turning his head to give her a sour look. Mai gave a cool nod in response. But Sokka really had thought this plan through. The Bouncy Ball Prank was set to go today.

The three of them were gathered up on the second floor landing of the school that looked out over the multipurpose space that primarily served as the cafeteria and where students met up before and after school. It was currently about ten minutes before the first class of the day would start. During passing period between that first class and home room was when the bouncy balls would be unleashed from this very balcony. Simple, harmless fun that would hopefully bring a smile to students faces. And hopefully wouldn’t result in anybody getting suspended. The administration tragically was not sympathetic to the tradition of senior pranks.

The group was getting help from their friends, as well as some other students they know who had been roped into the scheme. The goal was to have enough people set the bouncy balls loose at once so that no teachers could tell where they had come from. Thus, no punishment.

They had carefully prepared plastic containers filled with bouncy balls that they would get ready to dump as the end of the first class came. Then, they would head over to the balcony and quickly position them on the floor and tip before any teachers got wise to the plan.

Was it foolproof? Well, no Sokka had to admit it wasn’t. But no good prank really was in his mind. The danger of getting caught was half the fun.

Some friends who didn’t want to be the ones to actually deal with the bouncy balls would be in the common area below, filming so that those up above could see the effect. Katara, Ty Lee, and Aang would be down there. Aang had wanted to be a bouncy ball carrier, but Sokka knew the kid. He was liable to accidentally dump them out during class and blow up their spot before they even got to unleash the waterfall of bouncy balls.

Ty Lee skipped up to the group. “Hey sweetie,” she cooed and gave Mai a kiss on the cheek.

Sokka couldn’t resist. He turned to Zuko with an exaggerated lovesick expression. “Sweetie!” he cried and threw his arms around his boyfriend. He had been attempting to go for a kiss on the cheek too, but Zuko squirmed and Sokka wound up kissing his nose instead.

“Urgh,” Zuko grumbled. “Do that again and the bouncy balls won’t be the only thing getting thrown off the side of this balcony today.”

Sokka pouted and released Zuko from his grasp. “You wouldn’t. You’d miss me too much.”

“Eh,” Mai said, “you’d survive a fall from this height.”

Sokka tilted his head to look at her. “Maybe. But I would never allow Zuko in my presence again.”

“So that’s all it would take to get you to stop talking to me?” Mai asked, putting a sarcastically hopeful edge into her voice.

Sokka made a noise of outrage. “I need new friends.”

Ty Lee giggled. “Anyway, class is gonna start soon and we should probs get out of here before anyone gets,” she paused and leaned in closer to the group, “suspicious.” She waved her hands around at that last part, causing Sokka to chuckle.

“You’re right, let’s head out,” he agreed. The group set off in the direction of their first classes, knowing that soon enough the plan would be set in motion.

* * *

It was time. All those weeks of planning had finally come to fruition. Passing period was upon them and everyone was in position.

Sokka, Zuko, Mai, Suki, and Jet were ready with the bouncy balls up on the second floor balcony. Toph, Azula, Smellerbee, and Longshot were on teacher interception duty nearby on the second floor. Aang, Katara, Ty Lee, and the Duke were in place down in the common area in the first floor, most of them serving as teacher interception down there. Ty Lee was on filming duty as well, with the others encouraged to film if they were able to.

Once Sokka had determined that everyone was indeed in position, and that no teachers were in sight he gave the nod. The five of them quickly and casually set the containers of bouncy balls down on the floor. Then, in sync they nudged them over.

It was a waterfall of hundreds of small multi-colored bouncy balls over the side of the balcony. People down below began to laugh and shriek at the unexpected prank. Those up on the balcony hurried over to the side to watch as the last few bouncy balls made their way down. Everybody began talking loudly and excitedly among each other about what had just happened.

Sokka’s hand found Zuko’s and led him away down one of the hallways. They had decided it was best for them to disperse after the prank, in order to hopefully avoid anybody figuring out it was them. Suki was staying back on the balcony to watch events unfold since the teachers were unlikely to suspect her. The others down on the first floor were safe too.

As they were walking away Sokka’s phone buzzed. It was a video from Katara. He pulled Zuko off to the side of the hallway and opened it up to watch.

It was even better than he had imagined it would be. The containers had been dumped over in perfect sync so that the entire length of the balcony was flooded with bouncy balls all at once. Thankfully the video did not give any clue as to who the perpetrators of the prank were. People’s expressions went from confusion to delight as they realized what was happening. Other students in the common area had quickly begun gathering the balls once the initial show was over and seemed to be having snowballs fights, but with bouncy balls.

Sokka and Zuko hadn’t been able to stick around to see that happen, and Sokka was thrilled that Katara had managed to capture it. He looked up at Zuko and grinned.

“It worked,” he whispered happily.

“That it did,” Zuko gave a small smile. He glanced around before giving his boyfriend a swift kiss. “Now let’s get to class.”

* * *

The rest of the day all anyone could talk about was the bouncy ball waterfall. Classes and passing periods were occasionally disrupted with bouncy ball fights breaking out again as well. It seemed every student in the school now had a small stash of bouncy balls hidden in their bags. Teachers and the administration had tried in vain to figure out who had been behind the prank. No one was telling though, and mysteriously despite all the videos now circulating of the event, none showed who had dumped the bouncy balls. It seemed as though they weren’t there one minute, and magically appeared the next.

Mai came up to Sokka as they were leaving school. He had been heading to his car with Toph, Katara, and Zuko as she suddenly fell into step beside him.

“Ohmigod-“ he yelped and fell backwards a bit. She had a startling way of moving silently.

She didn’t even react to his fright beyond a small smile. “I’ve gotta hand it to you,” she drawled, “turns out that was a good prank.”

“It was, wasn’t it?” Sokka grinned at her as he regained his balance. She rolled her eyes. “So does this mean you’re not gonna ‘accidentally’ trip me so I fall over the balcony?”

“Jury’s still out on that one, but today was fun,” she turned and began walking away as abruptly as she had arrived. “Try not to be too annoying tomorrow, yeah?”

“No promises!” He shouted after her. With a smile he hefted his backpack more securely over his shoulder and ran off to join the others already waiting at the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toss a kudo to your Miyuki.  
> (No, I haven’t seen The Witcher leave me alone.)


	3. The Theater Incident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I was a theater kid. No, we don’t have to talk about it.

“Hey! What the hell?  _ Get back here! _ ”

* * *

Earlier that day:

“Alright students,” the substitute teacher clapped her hands. She was here filling in while the drama teacher at school, Mrs. Pak, was on maternity leave. She had just started earlier in the week, and was clearly trying to exude confidence she didn’t really feel. Sokka sympathized, but also wished she would stop shouting and smiling so much. It was somewhat disconcerting.

“So,” the sub continued, grinning widely, “last weekend was the fall play! I’m sure everyone did an excellent job.” Sokka exchanged a look with Zuko who was sprawled in a rickety folding chair next to him. Zuko raised an eyebrow at the teacher’s words, she clearly didn’t realize this class had relatively little to do with the play. Only about six of them had been involved. Sokka bit back a laugh at his boyfriend’s expression, and turned his attention back to what the teacher was saying.

“We have some extra time today, and Mrs. Pak expressed to me that things still needed to be cleared away from that so we will spend some time today putting away props and costumes! Won’t that be fun?” The kids regarded her with disbelief. Most of them hadn’t been in the play, and now they had to help clean up just because they were in drama class? Sokka heard Toph groan behind him. Well this day most certainly would not be fun.

* * *

The group of students were soon set to work gathering the various props and costumes stashed around the room that functioned as their drama classroom. It was a large room with a high ceiling with painted black walls. It was known as the Black Box, and was frequently used for smaller play productions. The Black Box was part of the maze of interconnected rooms and stairwells that made up the theater side of the school.

At least they wouldn’t have to go far to return the items to their original locations, the auditorium was just across the hall and the prop and costume closets were located inside it. While some students set about organizing the jumbled mess of items that needed to be sorted out, Sokka, Zuko, Toph, Suki, and Jet began the process of actually making the short trip to return items. Unfortunately they could only carry so much at once, plus the prop closet took the closet part a little too literally. It took effort for more than two people to enter the space at a time, crammed as it was with shelves overflowing with fake phones, broken lamps, plastic money, and more.

“That pile of props is ready to go,” the substitute teacher grinned at the five of them where they sat waiting for their job to start. Sokka, Jet, and Toph moved to pick the few items up, with Sokka carefully helping Toph balance the props in her arms. “And these costumes are ready too,” the sub continued, thrusting a bundle of fabric at Zuko and Suki. She then quickly moved off to supervise the ongoing work in the Black Box.

“Alright team,” Sokka joked in a serious voice, “let’s move out!”

* * *

Once they exited the classroom and stepped into the hallway Suki and Zuko peeled off from the others. They turned and headed up to the costume closet that stood at the top of the stairs. Sokka, Jet, and Toph continued across the hall to the auditorium, with Jet pulling open the heavy swinging doors to let the others inside.

Silently the three trudged down the slight decline of the floor that led towards the stage, weaving through rows of seats as they went. The theater at their school was pretty big, which made sense considering the size of the student body. They reached the stage, and walked along the edge of it until they came to the far side where the prop closet was located.

“Who has the key?” Jet asked, after attempting to turn the handle and finding it didn’t give way.

“Shoot,” Sokka muttered. The three dropped their bundles of props next to the door. Sokka gave another attempt at opening it, but it was definitely firmly locked. Which made sense given the amount of havoc students could cause in that room and with the prop items.

“I certainly don’t,” Toph offered.

“Thanks Toph,” Sokka commented sarcastically. “Here I was thinking you would wow us with your ability to magically produce keys on command.”

“I could try to pick the lock,” Jet said, cutting Toph off before she and Sokka could really get bickering.

“How about we ask the strange sub if she has a key before we go there?” Sokka asked.

Jet shrugged. “Fine, as you wish.” He only looked slightly disappointed by this. “Be right back.” Jet turned and strode back the way they had come.

Toph carefully made her way to the side of the stage and sat down. Sokka remained standing, absentmindedly swaying back and forth in place. Then, all of a sudden, the theater was plunged into darkness. Sokka’s head whipped towards the door, hearing the faint sound of Jet’s laughter.

“Hey! What the hell?  _ Get back here! _ ” Sokka yelled after him. There was a distant moment of light and the door slammed shut. Again leaving them in the pitch black. Sokka cursed, only then remembering that the only light switches for the theater were back near the door.

“What happened?”

“Jet!” Sokka spat. “He turned all the lights out on us! Can’t see anything!”

“Oh no! What a disaster!” Toph mocked.

“Oh,” Sokka muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, “right, sorry.”

Toph sighed, “Lucky for you, I am somewhat of an expert at navigating without being able to see. Hold onto my arm.”

“You know, typically this would be the other way around,” Sokka feebly joked.

“I will leave you here to die, don’t tempt me.”

“No! The fake theater ghost we made up will get me!”

“I know neither of us believe in the theater ghost, but I swear I will find a way to manifest it if you don’t shut up and take my arm already.”

“Yes ma’am,” Sokka fumbled for a moment before finding Toph’s proffered arm. “Please tell me this is you and not the ghost,” he joked again after a moment passed.

“ _ Wooooooo _ ,” Toph moaned in a bad ghost imitation.

“I’m starting to think I’d rather take my chances with the ghost.”

Toph stopped laughing hysterically at her own jokes and led them back out to the brightly lit hallway. And if, once they got out there, they found a smirking Jet and Sokka ‘accidentally’ stepped on his foot, well, that could be chalked up to his eyes taking a while to adjust back.

* * *

The first clue that things would not be going any better on the second trip to return items was when Jet offered to go get more costumes by himself and bring them back up to where Sokka and Zuko were struggling to cram items into the costume closet. He had said he would be right back with the next batch, claiming it would be easier if they tried to get things in all at once, rather than getting everything sorted now only to have to redo everything with the next box of plastic tiaras and dented top hats. Sokka and Zuko really should have known better.

The next clue that events were repeating themselves was after Sokka and Zuko returned to the classroom, looking for the box Jet had mysteriously forgotten to bring up to them. Toph then entered the room, conspicuously alone and whistling in a not at all nonchalant way. She and Suki had been tasked with bringing items to the prop closet this time after getting a key from the substitute. Jet was also carefully not looking over at Toph as she entered.

Sokka raised his eyebrows and made eye contact with Zuko. Zuko pressed his lips together, a look of concern and fear crossing his face. Wordlessly the two grabbed the box that needed to go to the costume closet and began heading for the door. Neither of them wanted to be there when Suki managed to get back from the theater. Sokka knew how annoying it had been to get out of that theater in the dark, and he hadn’t even been left alone.

Before they reached the door, Suki came bursting through it. Her eyes whipped wildly across the room, before landing on Toph. The hubbub of the room was such that the sub didn’t take notice of any of this, instead staring somewhat alarmingly off into space with a bland expression on her face.

Suki swiftly walked up behind where Toph was sitting on a chair. “ _ You little gremlin _ ,” she hissed in her ear.

“Who me?” Toph asked, pretending at innocence, “I’m just a blind girl! What could I have done to be called a gremlin?”

“I’m gonna get you for that,” Suki muttered, moving away from her. “Just you wait.” Sokka and Zuko hurried to get back to the costume closet.

* * *

After the failures of the last two trips into the theater, it was decided to give the grouping of Zuko, Sokka, and Suki a try. After all, two of them had already been left floundering in the dark, and found the experience lacking to say the least.

Zuko sighed, somewhat nervously regarding the theater stretched before them and the door behind them. “Somebody should stay back to make sure nobody sneaks in to turn off the lights. Or nobody in the theater turns off the lights. AGAIN.”

“You’re right. Suki?” Sokka turned to her with a sweet expression, “Would you stay to guard the light switches?”

“Of course, Sokka dear,” she laughed. Adopting a formal posture she began to stride back and forth in front of the light switches like a guard.

“Great!” Sokka exclaimed and turned to face Zuko.

Zuko regarded Suki suspiciously though. “Hmmmm, I don’t trust that you won’t be swayed to betray us.”

Suki gasped, an affronted look on her face. “I would never!”

“You would though,” Sokka said, now regarding her suspiciously himself.

She grinned, “You’re right I totally would.”

“Exactly,” Zuko mused, head tilted to the side. “We don’t have that much more to put back now, I could carry it all.” He turned to look at Sokka then, “Sokka. You stay with her.”

“Rightio captain,” Sokka gave a cheery salute and shot a stern glare at Suki. “I’ve got my eye on you!”

“Well then, I’m gonna pretend like that was encouraging and get this over with,” Zuko said.

“We’ll be right here babe!” Sokka called after him happily. He leaned against the wall next to the light switches, looking over at Suki.

After a moment, once Zuko was out of hearing range, she spoke up. “He’s rounding the side of the stage now, almost to the closet door.”

“But it’s not open yet?” Sokka asked, studying his fingernails.

“Nope.” Suki turned back to look at Sokka. The two made eye contact, wicked grins spreading over both their faces. Without another word they simultaneously hit the light switches, plunging the theater into darkness again. Laughing giddily they ran out of the theater, ignoring the sound of Zuko angrily cursing them out behind them as they went.

* * *

Zuko hadn’t found their little deception funny, fuming as he came back into the classroom a few minutes later. In Sokka’s defense though, it had been hilarious to be the one flipping the switches. Sokka wound up having to agree to take Zuko to the lake up north for a day that weekend to get his boyfriend to forgive him. But hey, the day turned out pretty fun after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, based on real events. I was the Sokka in this situation. I had the dubious honor of being the first person to have the lights turned out on me, along with one of my friends. Then, later, me, that same friend, and the guy she had a sort of ‘situationship’ with went in to the theater. By that point like the entire class (10-15 students) were in on the ongoing prank of turning the lights off on people. So the guy volunteered to stay back to guard the lights since people had developed a habit of sneaking in to turn them off. She didn’t trust him, so left me there with him as well. She shouldn’t have trusted me either, since the second she made it to the prop closet on the opposite side of the theater to us we flipped the switches and ran. It was amazing.
> 
> I shortened the whole experience for this fic, but in real life we kept having to go in and out of the theater for, like, an hour or so, and the entire time we were playing this light switch flipping game. I’m pretty sure almost every student had the lights turned out on them, and/or turned the lights off on someone else. It was a great day. Still don’t know how the teacher never caught on to what we were doing. Especially since angry kids kept coming back into the Black Box from the theater and lightly threatening others.
> 
> Comments and kudos por favor.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Tumblr if you wanna! @miyuki-scourgeofthefirenation  
> I take fic requests, though I make no promises about timeliness in fulfilling them. Hit me up on Tumblr and we can talk about it. No NSFW. Don’t ask, it’s not gonna happen.  
> I upload for ATLA on Sundays!


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